TORONTO (AP) — George Springer homered twice and drove in four runs, Kevin Gausman struck out 10 over eight sharp innings and the Toronto Blue Jays moved a season-best 16 games above .500 by beating the Kansas City Royals 5-1 on Saturday.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had two hits for the Blue Jays (79-63), who entered in 1 1/2 games ahead of Texas for the final AL wild card berth. Toronto has won five of six and is 6-2 in September.

Springer homered against Zach Greinke (1-15) in the fourth and Angel Zerpa in the seventh, his 21st multihomer game and first this year. Springer has 19 homers this season.

Gausman (11-8) allowed one run and two hits, and raised his AL-leading strikeouts total to 217 with his eighth eighth double-digit strikeout game this season and first since June 27. He struck out the side in the eightth.

Jordan Hicks pitched a 1-2-3 ninth.

Kansas City lost its third straight. The Royals (44-99) have the worst record in the major leagues and are one defeat from their first 100-loss season since 2019.

Springer put Toronto ahead in the fourth with a leadoff homer off Greinke (1-15), who allowed four runs and six hits over 3 2/3 innings of relief. The 39-year-old right-hander, a six-time All-Star, is 0-11 with a 5.56 ERA in 19 appearances since beating Baltimore on May 3.

His 15 losses are one shy of teammate Jordan Lyles, the major league leader.

Gausman didn’t allow a hit through the first four innings, but Edward Olivares tied it with a solo homer in the fifth.

Springer's two-run single in the bottom half gave Toronto a 3-1 lead. Springer is 10 for 18 in his career against Greinke.

Toronto made it 4-1 in the sixth when Guerrero singled and scored on

Cavan Biggio hit an RBI double in the sixth. Guerrero stuck his right hand out to touch home plate while avoiding an attempted tag on his left arm from catcher Salvador Perez.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: Kansas City put LHP Austin Cox (left knee) on the 60-day IL and C Freddy Fermin (fractured right middle finger) in the 10-day IL. Cox had to be helped off the field after he was injured covering first base in the seventh inning of Friday’s loss. Fermin was injured on a catcher’s interference play in the eighth. The Royals activated RHP Brad Keller (shoulder) off the 60-day IL and selected the contract of C Tyler Cropley from Double-A Northwest Arkansas.

Blue Jays: SS Bo Bichette got the day off after being activated off the IL Friday. BIchette returned after missing nine games because of a strained right quadriceps.

WEB GEMS

Royals 2B Michael Massey grabbed Guerrero’s grounder in the seventh and flipped it to SS Bobby Wit Jr., who threw to first for the out. … Varsho scaled the left-field wall to retire Perez in the fourth.

WOE CANADA

Kansas City has not won a series north of the border since 2017.

UP NEXT

Blue Jays RHP José Berríos (9-10, 3.68 ERA) is expected to face Royals LHP Cole Ragans (6-4, 3.00) in Sunday’s series finale. Ragans has pitched 21 consecutive scoreless innings, the longest active streak in the majors.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Ian Harrison, The Associated Press